Commanders shut down QB Jayden Daniels for remainder of 2025 season
Daniels wraps up his second NFL season starting just seven games, as Washington makes a tough injury decision
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The Washington Commanders hoped star quarterback Jayden Daniels would return this season after he re-aggravated his elbow injury in Week 14, but they since shifted course. Washington will shut down the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, and allow Marcus Mariota to finish out the season at quarterback, according to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Washington's medical staff re-evaluated Daniels today, but he did not receive clearance to return, NFL Media reports. If he was not cleared for the Week 16 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, Daniels' next opportunity to play would have come on a short week against the Dallas Cowboys. Ultimately, the Commanders just shut him down.
Less than one month ago, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said he wanted Daniels to play when healthy in order to develop -- no matter if Washington was in playoff contention or not.
"I think it's important as Jayden's ... learning to play this position at the highest level competitively, also doing it safely, and those are reps, you know, that you develop as well," Quinn said.. "It's a skill, just like throwing and processing. And so, all those things are important."
The 4-10 Commanders have not had their starting quarterback for half of the season. Daniels suffered through knee and hamstring injuries before dislocating his left elbow during the Week 9 loss against the Seattle Seahawks. He returned for the Week 14 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, but landed hard on the injured elbow while trying to chase down Andrew Van Ginkel following an interception.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft took the league by storm as a rookie, throwing for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and added 891 yards and six touchdowns as a rusher. Washington went from 4-13 to 12-5, and made it all the way to the NFC Championship game. Daniels' 37 total touchdowns and 5,416 total yards (including playoffs), were the most by a rookie in NFL history. This season, Daniels lost five of his seven starts, and threw for 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
The 2025 season was an abject disaster for Washington. Daniels missed more than half of the campaign due to injury. Star wideout Terry McLaurin, who signed a three-year, $96 million deal with the Commanders after a training-camp holdout, missed half of the season due to a quad injury, while the defense suffered notable injuries as well. Marshon Lattimore, Trey Amos, Dorance Armstrong and Deatrich Wise Jr. all reside on injured reserve, which left Washington with what is statistically the second-worst defense in the NFL. Perhaps regression from 2024 was expected, but not to this extent.
